Richard Barrett

loss’s glossolalia
(natural causes X)
2016-17
solo voice

performance score
 loss’s glossolalia
(natural causes X)
(2016-17) for solo voice

commissioned by Musikfabrik and Kunststiftung NRW

to Carl Rosman

duration: approximately 4 minutes

The score is written throughout on four quasi-independent systems, showing respectively the dynamics, pitches, vowels and consonants to be performed. Each system in each of the
16/8 bars shows the number of the text-line from which it is derived (the lines are numbered below on this page), so as to emphasise the individuality and character of the four
discrete forms that coalesce into each line of music, and this discreteness should be borne in mind when preparing a performance – ideally it should be possible to hear the
superimposed traces of all four lines of text at all times.

In particular, discontinuities in dynamic should be as sharply defined as possible – dynamics are notated on a two-line stave whose lower and upper lines represent ppp and fff
respectively Breaths within a bar should only be taken where there is a notated rest.

The pitch-range (from a low F to the C two octaves and a fifth higher) may be transposed to suit different voice-types but only if all pitches in the piece are transposed. No vibrato
should be used. Where a glissando is broken up by a rest it should be treated as continuing through the interruption, so that when the sound restarts the pitch has reached the point
it would have reached if unbroken.

International Phonetic Alphabet symbols are used for the text, which should be rendered using the sounds of British English (as spoken in the London region rather than RP). Where
a consonant and vowel are notated as taking place simultaneously, the consonant occurs on the attack with the vowel immediately following. A dotted arrow between vowel-
symbols indicates that the first shades into the second in a diphthong. Consonants may also be placed at the end of a bar or the beginning of a rest, so that they cut off the ongoing
vowel sound.

On 1 September 2013 I received a sequence of interconnected texts from Simon Howard, an English poet who over the previous eight years or so had become a close friend
although we never actually met face to face. I had been interested for some time in working with his writing, which had (and still has) for me the quality of powerfully evoking
possible sound-forms and a compulsion to realise them. I had asked Simon for a new text as a collaboration between us, suggesting only that it be structured around the number 16
(the number of instruments in the ensemble I had in mind), and indeed it consists of 16 short texts each divided into 16 lines or phrases. Simon had written in an email a few weeks
previously: “Somehow I felt that entitling the work was what you'd like to do. I'll let you have the full revised text next week & from there it's material for your composition: I have
no 'control' or sense of the words 'belonging' to me.” (He actually ended up giving the sequence the title ADDICTION.) Simon died suddenly in early December 2013 at the age of 53.

Natural causes is intended when complete to consist of sixteen compositions which can be performed in different interleaved combinations. The first four to be completed (pitch-
black in sunlight for 4 instruments, loss’s glossolalia for solo voice, museum of found & lost sonic events for 16 instruments, not progressing from nowhere to nowhere for improvising
ensemble) are the result of a commission from Musikfabrik. In loss’s glossolalia each line is “decomposed” into four strands – stress-pattern (dynamics), intonation (pitches), vowels
and consonants – which are recombined in different orders to evoke an incomprehensible yet expressive “speaking in tongues”.

Arcadian melancholia (1) / the carpet weavers weave motes of notes (2) / withdrawal systematises (3) /
loss’s glossolalia (4) /
the burning ear (5) / city sky spitting inmates’ tears (6) / our shadows, locked in the cellar (7)/ the
movement into mainstream fashion of fetish wear (8) /
estimates of the deaths of liberated civilians prove to be unproven (irrelevance) (9) / the ensemble
desynchronises (10) / harried to the beginning of the universes (11) / not one of us resembles our self
tomorrow (12) /
I’m writing to you as the letter a child was writing thanking you for the music box which you
sent to any child at random as a gift sublime as suicide (13) / my handwriting is ill-formed, as it
always will be (14) / of course this is an appeal for love (15) / of course it’s an appeal for annihilation (16) /
 loss's glossolalia Richard Barrett
2016-17
e=180 (5.33")
16 3:2 9:8 7:8 5:4
° 8
artic/ >
dyn. (line 4)

™ µœ nœ
nœ ™ #œ
pitch
? (line 2)bœ nœ nœ µœ nœ
nœ ™
(line 1) œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.

vowel ¢
(line 3)
œ œk d œ™ œ nm l œ™ œ nk œ ™ l œ
ɪ ɔ ɑ ɪ ɛ a a ɪɛ

9 (3")
2 8
°
¢ ∑
e=135 (7.11")

3
16 7:9 5:4 9:8 7:8
° 8
artic/ > > >
dyn. (line 2) >
>
(line 3)
Bœ ™ nœ ™ ® ™ nœ ®
pitch & Bœ Bœ #œ µœ
nœ µœ
(line 4) œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
l s zgl s l l
(line 1) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
vowel ¢
ɑ e ɪi a ɛ a o ʊi ɑ

27 (3")
4 32
°
¢ ∑

e=108 (8.89")
5
16 9:8 Kr 8:9 3:2 9:7
° 8
artic/ >
dyn. (line 3) > >
(line 1)
?
pitch #œ nœ ™ #œ ™ nœ ≈ Bœ ™ nœ nœ ™ #œ nœ bœ
(line 2) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
(line 4) ðœ k p tw v zw vm ts vn ts
vowel ¢ œ œ œ œ œ œ
ɒ ə ɒ o ʊɑ i ɑ

11 (3")
6 16
°
¢ ∑
2
e=90 (10.67")
7
16 6:5 6:5 9:11 9:8 5:6
° 8
artic/ > > >
dyn. (line 1)

(line 4)
pitch & ® bœ ™ ™
µœ n œ bœ nœ µœ nœ Bœ
(line 3) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
(line 2) wœ œ
ðdr
œ œ œ ls œ
st
œ
m t
œ œ
z z
vowel ¢
ə ɑ ɛ i ə i o ʊɔ o ʊ

9 (3")
8 16
°
¢ ∑

e=135 (7.11")
9
16 5:4 Kr 4:5 Kr 5:6
j r 11:9
° 8
artic/
dyn. (line 7) > >
(line 6)

® ®® ®
pitch &
Bœ ™ nœ ™ Bœ ™ ™ Bœ ™ µ œ µœ ™ nœ ® #œ ™ ™ nœ
(line 8) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
ð
(line 5) œ
m vm nt nt m nstr mf ʃ n vf t ʃw
vowel ¢ œ œ œ
ə ɜ ɪ ɪ ə

9 (2")
10 16
°
¢ ∑

e=101 (9.48")
11
16 6:7 4:3
r r 15:13
r 4:5
° 8
artic/ >
dyn. (line 8) > > >
(line 5)
? nœ ™ nœ ® ™ #œ ® ™ ® ® nœ ≈ ™ Bœ
pitch
(line 6) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
s t sk
vowel ¢
(line 7) œ œ œ sp œ t ng
œ nm
œ œ tst
œ z
a ʊ əa o ʊ ɒ ɪ ə ɛ ə

9 (2.67")
12 16
°
¢ ∑
 3
e=81 (11.85")
13
16 3:2 7:5
r 12:11 6:7
° 8
artic/ >
dyn. (line 5)

(line 8) n Ϫ
bœ Bœ n œ µœ ™ bœ nœ bœ ™ ™ bœ ™
? ™ bœ ®≈ bœ
pitch bœ ™ nœ µœ
(line 7) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
ð
vowel ¢
(line 6) œ œ ʃ
œ d
œ zl kt
œ s œ l
ɪ i a ɪ e ɪ ə

9 (3.33")
14 16
°
¢ ∑

e=67.5 (14.22")
15
16 13:11 Kr 6:5
Kr 6:7
r 11:13
° 8
artic/
dyn. (line 7)

(line 6)
? bœ ™ ™ ™ ≈ Bœ bœ ® ™ Bœ nœ ®œ ™ Bœ
pitch nœ ™ nœ ™ µœ ™
(line 8)
œ œ œ œ
cons.
(line 5) ðœ bœ
n ŋ
vowel ¢ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
ə u ə ɪ u e ɪi a ə ɒ ɛ ɪ e ə

9 (4")
16 16
°
¢ ∑

e=108 (8.89")
17
16 Kr4:3 Kr r Kr 4:5 r Kr Kr17:15 Kr 9:11
° 8 > > >
artic/ > >> >
dyn. (line 9) > >
(line 12) ™ bœ ™
pitch
? #œ ® ®Bœ ® ® ® nœ Bœ ® bœ µœ ™ ®nœ ®Bœ ® ®bœ µœ Bœ® µœ

(line 11)
œ œ œ œœ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ
cons.
h r d t ð b g n ŋ vð j n v s z
(line 10) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
vowel ¢
i ɔ̃ ɔ̃ l̩ i ɪ ɒ a ɪɛ

7 (1")
18 32
°
¢ ∑
4

e=81 (11.85")
19
16 3:2 Kr r 9:11 Kr3:2 Kr 4:5
° 8
artic/
dyn. (line 10) > >
>
(line 11) bœ µœ Bœ Bœ nœ nœ bœ
? #œ nœ ® nœ r ® ™
pitch ‰ µœ ® nœ ® #œ ™
(line 9) œœ œœ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
st m vð d θs vl b t ds
vowel ¢
(line 12) œ œ œ œ œ vœ l
œnzprœ b
œ npr v
œ œ n r l vœ ns
ɒ ʌ ɒ ʌ i ɛ ə a ʊ əɛ u ɒ o ʊ

13 (2.33")
20 32
°
¢ ∑

e=65 (14.81")
21
16 Kr 9:7 5:4 11:13
r 5:6
° 8
artic/ > >
dyn. (line 11) >
(line 10)
pitch & nœ nœ nœ ≈ ™ Bœ bœ ≈ Bœ µœ ® nœ ® nœ ® ™ nœ
(line 9) œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
n
(line 12) œ œ œ œ
t w n v sr z mb lz s lft m r
vowel ¢ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ
ɛ ɪ e ɪɒ ɛ ɒ ɪ ɛ e ɪɛ ɪ i ɑ u i ʌ u ə ɪ ɛ ɑ

4 (3.67")
22 8
°
¢ ∑

e=54 (17.78")

23
16 4:5 4:5 7:6 7:6
° 8 >
artic/
dyn. (line 12)
>
(line 9)
nœ n œb œ n œ ™ n œB œ #œ
? Bœ # œ b œ µ œ µœ # œ nœ nœ nœ
nœ
µœ
µœ nœ ®® nœ µœ ®≈#œ ® ® nœ ®®µœBœ ® ≈
pitch
#œ ™ nœ
(line 10)
œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
ð s bl d s ŋkr n z z
(line 11) œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ
vowel ¢
a i u ə ɪ ɒ ə u ɪ ɜ ɛ

9 (5")
24 16
°
¢ ∑
 5

e=90 (10.67")
16 6:5 6:5 7:8 7:9
25 Kr Kr 8:7
° 8
artic/
dyn. (line 15) > >
(line 13)
pitch
? ‰ ≈ ™ nœBœbœ ≈ ®‰
nœBœ µœµœ nœbœnœnœBœ µœ #œ nœBœ nœ #œ #œBœ#œ nœnœ Bœ nœ nœ µœ nœbœ nœ µœ µœnœ
(line 14) œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ œ
cons.
m h nd t ŋ z lf md z t lw zw lb
(line 16) œ œ œœ œ œ œ œ œœ
vowel ¢
ɒ ɔ ɪ ə ɑ i ɔ a ɪ e ɪ

e=67.5 (14.22")
26
16 10:9 Kr 9:10
r 4:3 3:2
° 8 >
artic/ > >
dyn. (line 13) > > > > > >
> >
(line 16) Bœ nœ bœ nœ
µœ Bœ
? ® ® ® #œ ® nœ
pitch #œ µœ #œ nœ
(line 15) œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ
cons.
vk sð s z n p lf l v
(line 14) œ œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ œ
vowel ¢
a ɪa a ɪ ɔ a ɪ ɔ e ɪ i

9 (2")
27 32
°
¢ ∑

16 e=54 (17.78")
28 5:4 8:7 3:2 3:2 7:8
° 8
artic/ > >
dyn. (line 16)

(line 14)
nœ Bœ ‰ ™™ nœ µœBœ nœ
pitch
?
bœ ≈ ™ ‰ µœµœ ®‰ µœ bœ
nœ
nœ nœ
(line 13) œ œœœ œœ œœ œ œ œœœ œ œ œ œœ œ œœœ œ œ œœ œ
cons.
mr t ŋt j zð w zr t ŋk ŋj f θ mj z kb ks t ld tr nd m z g fts bl m zsj s d
(line 15) œ œ œ ŋθ œœ œ œ œ
vowel ¢ ə ɑ i ɔ ʌ
ɒ ɔ ɪ

7 (4")
29 16
°
¢ ∑
6

16 e=45 (21.33")
30 5:4 7:8 9:8
r r 3:2 3:2
° 8 > > >
artic/ > >
dyn. (line 14)

(line 15)

pitch & nœ ®®nœ nœ ® Bœ nœnœ ® ≈ nœ Bœ ™ nœ ≈ ‰ #œ

(line 16) œ œ œ œ œ œœ œ œ
cons.

vowel ¢
(line 13) œ œ vk œ œœœ œœœ sœ œ ts œ nœ œ œ pœ œ œ œ œ œ œ lfœ œ œœ r nœ œ œ œ l œ ≈ œ œœ ʃ n
aɪ aɪ u a ə ɛ əɑaɪ ɒ a ɪ ə ɪ u ɔ ə u ɪ ɒ ɪ ɛ u ɛ ɪ a ɪa ɒ a ʌ aɪ u ɪa ɪ

9 (6")
31 16
°
¢ ∑